College Football Corner: Big Three

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- It's the year of the Big Three.

No, it's not a conference; it's Tim Tebow of Florida, Sam Bradford of Oklahoma and Colt McCoy of Texas, three outstanding college football quarterbacks -- two of whom have won Heisman trophies -- who will return for their senior seasons.

All three will be vying to take their teams to the Citi(C Quote) BCS National Championship game on Jan. 10 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

We at TheStreet.com's College Football Corner are happy to be back to cover what promises to be an outstanding season of football.

The Florida Gators, the defending national champion, were the overwhelming pick as No. 1 in The Associated Press preseason college football poll, taking 58 of the 60 first-place votes. Texas got the other two votes.

What college football has taught us recently is that you don't have to go undefeated to win the whole thing. In fact, look at Utah. The Utes went 13-0 and dominated Alabama in the Sugar Bowl but ended up No. 2. The last BCS champ to go undefeated was Texas in 2005. Two seasons ago, LSU won it all with two losses.

Oklahoma's Sam Bradford (from left to right), Florida's Tim Tebow and Texas' Colt McCoy at the 2008 Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York.

So maybe all those teams that think they have to pay several hundred grand to fly in teams for expectedly easy victories early in the season should think twice.

Put at least one worthy nonconference opponent on your schedule. The fans and poll voters will respect your record more. USC is traveling to Ohio State this season, now that's a game.